Papuan leader Edison Waromi ... elected "prime minister" and then arrested by Indonesian forces. Photo: Polaris

Pacific Scoop:
Report – By PMC news desk

Indonesian soldiers and police officers opened fire on the Third Papuan People’s Congress in the West Papuan capital of Jayapura late yesterday and there are reports of casualties and more than 800 arrests, according to West Papua media sources.

The shooting began after the chairman of the congress, Furkorus Yaboisembut, declared independence from Indonesia, Engage Media reported. Yaboisembut was elected president by indigenous West Papuans and Edison Waromi voted in as prime minister. Both men were reportedly arrested.

According to the Asian Human Rights Commission and West Papua Media, two people have been confirmed dead. They have been identified as Martinus Siep, a Petapa security guard, and student Melkias Kadepa. Read more »

Press Release – Australian High Commission

On 14 October, the Australian High Commissioner Matt Anderson and the Acting Prime Minister, Hon Manasseh Maelanga, officially opened the touring art exhibition Message Stick: Indigenous Identity in Urban Australia at the King Solomon Hotel. Read more »

Julius Nakamura performing his tauloto in Samoan with his cousin Natania Tupufia. Photo: Lanuola Tusani / PMC

Pacific Scoop:
Report – By Lanuola Tusani

Celebration of White Sunday, or Lotu Tamaiti, is enabling some Samoans in Hillsborough to boost the leadership skills of the community’s youth.

The term Lotu Tamatiti means Children’s Service and has been celebrated for more than 100 years.

On White Sunday, children are dressed in white clothing and are allowed privileges normally reserved for elders such as being the first to be served food at a family meal. Read more »

Schoolboy supporter of Manu Samoa as part of Grey Lynn's adopt-a-second-team's Shout for Samoa events. Photo: © Evotia Tamua / PMC

SAMOA’S appearance at this year’s Rugby World Cup won’t be remembered for the team’s slick game moves or any upset victories. Instead, it is the off-field controversy that goes down in history – the mouthguards, the fines and the inappropriate tweets … and the hospitality of Grey Lynn.

Pacific Scoop:
Report – By Sarah Robson

It’s an often forgotten fact that back in the 1950s and 60s, when many Samoan families first immigrated to New Zealand, the central Auckland suburb of Grey Lynn was the place where a majority of them chose to settle.

Much has changed in the last 20 years or so and these days Grey Lynn is a trendy suburb, just a stone’s throw away from the city centre, where the house prices are rising, the cafes are buzzing and a new boutique store opens every few months.

So it came as a surprise to many that the Grey Lynn Business Association jumped at the chance to rally around Samoa when the Auckland Council announced its adopt-a-second-team initiative for the Rugby World Cup (RWC). Read more »

Flashback to Nuku'alofa 2006 ... Pacific-wide fear of rioting, fuelled by jobless youth. Photo: SMH

THE 42nd Pacific Islands Forum came and went, but Pacific youth advocates are pleading with leaders to wake up to the increasing number of young people involved in crime and violence in the Pacific.

Pacific Scoop:
Report – By Christopher Chang

At 3:30pm on 16 November 2006, the first stone was thrown in Nuku’alofa, Tonga. Within three hours, rioters had tipped over cars and looted shops.

The Pacifica Royale hotel and ANZ Bank crackled under the blaze of fire. Eight people were killed.

The rioters were of all ages, but most were young males. It is a situation that Pacific youth advocates are still fearful of, five years on. Read more »

Guests were welcomed in a Cook Island turou to the second Pasifika Youth Court in Avondale. Photo: Lanuola Tusani / PMC

Pacific Scoop:
Report – By Lanuola Tusani

From the outside, it is another community hall in need of a coat of paint.

But the Nafanua Community Hall in Avondale is about to serve a serious role as the home of Auckland’s second Pasifika Youth Court.

It was recently opened by Pacific Island Affairs Minister Georgina te Heuheu before a gathering of community leaders, judges, police representatives and politicians. Read more »

Faafiaula Sagote, who plays Saili, and Salamasina Mataia (Litia) at the New Zealand premiere of The Orator. Photo: Kayne Peters / PMC

Pacific Scoop:
Report – By Kayne Peters

A young Island girl makes her way to a seat inside a huge movie theatre and settles in with her family and friends around her.

As time ticks by, the seats in the theatre start to fill up and she grows anxious and excited about the film they are about to see.

She thinks back to one of the scenes shot in the film and remembers doing 21 takes until the director was satisfied. Read more »

NZ Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade's David Walker ... global influence is shifting to Asia. Photo: Chen Bei / PMC

The world economy is shifting its focus to New Zealand’s Asian neighbourhood. But policymakers and academic researchers think Kiwi businesses could be doing better with the help of Asia-savvy talents.

Pacific Scoop:
Report – By Chen Bei

Do you want to make your first pot of gold in Asia?

Imagine you’re living in a high population city – with a smaller apartment and breathing polluted air, and you probably have to work like a dog late into the night.

Asia has many such cities. But an investment adviser to the New Zealand Asia Institute, Charles Chow, suggests Kiwi business graduates – many of them with an Asian face – go to Asia to earn their first pot of gold. Read more »

Young Tongan fans in the kingdom's colours ... Tonga scored one of the greatest upsets in World Cup history by defeating France 19-14.

Pacific Scoop:
Commentary – By Edwin Puni

Manu Samoa, Ikale Tahi and the Flying Fijians have all checked out of their International Rugby Board- funded hotels at RWC2011 and are already on their way home.

For many of the players who have contracts in Europe, the call to return to rugby duties is immediate without the opportunity to return to the Islands.

The final pool games saw mixed results for our Pacific teams with Wales yesterday overpowering the Flying Fijians to win 66-0. Read more »

At the sponsorship agreement signing ceremony at Henderson. Manoj Tahal (from left), Diwali project manager 2011,; Vanessa Neeson, chairperson Henderson–Massey Local Board; and Anand Naidu, president, Waitakere Indian Association. Photo: Thakur Ranjit Singh / PMC

Pacific Scoop:
Report – By Thakur Ranjit Singh

Waitakere Diwali celebrations amid the Rugby World Cup at Henderson tomorrow reflect a triumph of local body lobbying in the super city transition.

When Waitakere Indian Association (WIA) marked its 10th anniversary celebrations at former Waitakere City Council chambers in May last year, the guest of honour was Vijaya Vaidhnath, former chief executive of Rodney and Waitakere City Council.

She had paid tribute to community organisations, and in particular the “exemplary” partnership between then Waitakere City Council and Waitakere Indian Association. Read more »